The Iron Lady’s Gone, But Her Legacy Remains!

Who doesn’t know Mrs. Margaret Thatcher who became the only female Prime Minister of Great Britain (to date), and later became known as the “Iron Lady”. With her aggressive and stern views on both economic policies and political agenda, certainly everyone knows “The Lady”, particularly those in politics, governance, academe, business world and even the ordinary people, young and old alike who have passion in world affairs.

Based on various accounts, it was in the 80’s when Margaret Thatcher was constantly making headlines in dailies and other media networks. I remember my father (whose day, by the way, was not complete if a newspaper was not waiting on the doorstep) was looking at her picture in one of his favorite local dailies with admiration. She was the most powerful woman at that time, which I realized now her decisive stance on various issues, could have paved the way for the re-birth of the so-called “women empowerment” , particularly in politics and the workplace. Note that there are some remarkable women in history, who have also made their own “mark” in their respective fields.

Much as it would be interesting to note about the way Mrs. Thatcher ruled the U.K. Parliament and elaborate on her famous byword : “You turn if you want to. The Lady’s not for turning”, this blog would not dare to touch on these matters, which are somewhat complex and controversial that even her political allies and rivals have misunderstood and vehemently disagreed to some of her policies and programs. Rather, the blog shall mention briefly certain lighter issues regarding among others, the former Prime Minister’s persona and fashion sense and how the said outside forces influence the rising and struggling “power puffs”, so to speak, in the workplace, not only in Britain but throughout the world. Yay! There’s no harm in attempting to talk about this, right?

Earlier in My Useful Tip’s blog posts, the name of Mrs. Thatcher, together with Hillary Clinton, appeared as examples of two women belonging to the top echelons of society who have embraced the so-called “power dressing” (for further information, please search power dressing blog under the fashion category of www.myusefultips.com).

PD (which by the way was coined by My Useful Tips for “power dressing”), as defined on the web, is: a) a style of clothing intended to make the person seem authoritative and competent, especially in professional settings in business, law and government; and b) a stylish and expensive clothing style intended to convey the impression of assertiveness and competence.

With the aforesaid descriptions, Mrs. Thatcher had displayed her dressing style conforming to what PD is all about. Her dressing sense revealed her personal strength, despite her being just a “woman”, and her ability to preside over and deliberate with the members of the Houses of Lords and Commons, the majority of whom are men. For me, that was perhaps a sight to behold! The Honorable Men bowing to the whims of a potent and influential woman!

The photos on the web revealed that she would normally wear tailored pant or skirt suits and a low-heeled court shoes which were appropriate for the people “on-the-go”, that even her suits in pastel colors, still exudes a true feminine power during her time.

As I was browsing her photos on line, I was reminded of my mother who was an authority at home over her children with diverse likes and dislikes. Similarly, Mrs. Thatcher had tried her best to lead the U.K parliament, with a mother instinct, sometimes getting upset when members of the lower and upper chambers were disagreeing with her. Just like a mother in the family, she must have wanted to be the light and guide to his followers, but sadly in the end she was left behind by her staunch supporters after 11 years in power.

As of this time, the present U.K. Parliament is still deliberating on what kind of funeral rites and “honors” should be conferred upon the former lady Prime Minister and what kind of legacy she had left behind!

There is no doubt that the lady Prime Minister who died at 87 years of age, had obviously left a legacy of sorts, mostly in the political spectrum, but definitely she had left a legacy to women who have likewise aspired to “rise up” and have their voices heard in various arena.

To the lady Prime Minister, may your soul rest in peace.

Note: This blog is dedicated to my loving Mom, whose death anniversary is forthcoming!